Start with your room, not a catalog.
A successful collection begins with the people who will be bidding. OFG consults with your team about your guest profile, event format, and fundraising priorities before suggesting items. The aim is a considered mix that complements the donations you already have.
Your proposed collection includes descriptions, minimum bids, and estimated values. Confirm the final selection and the responsibilities for every stage in your event proposal.
Presentation is part of the experience.
Depending on the number of OFG items and the agreed scope, staff can assist with setup, donated items, guest questions, and breakdown. Attractive displays and clear information help guests browse without needing a committee member at every table.
- Agree the load-in time, table layout, and venue requirements.
- Choose paper bid sheets or discuss mobile bidding support.
- Name one contact for decisions on the evening.
Finish with a clear handover.
Choose whether your organization collects payment or requests full checkout services. Confirm the reporting and settlement process in advance, including who communicates with winners. Unsold consignment items cost nothing; staffed event arrangements include their removal.
Ready to discuss the details? Share your date, location, guest count, and any existing auction arrangements.
Who owns each part of the auction?
An auction runs more smoothly when responsibility is visible before invitations go out. Use the proposal to distinguish the collection, the people on site, and the financial close. One organization may want help across all three; another may already have a capable volunteer or development team.
| Workstream | What to agree together |
|---|---|
| Collection and catalog | Guest interests, donated items already secured, OFG selections, approved descriptions, minimum bids, and catalog deadline. |
| Venue and presentation | Table availability, safe display space, delivery access, setup window, and the staff or volunteers assigned to each task. |
| Bidding and close | Paper or mobile format, closing sequence, guest assistance, winner records, and who can resolve an exception. |
| Payment and reporting | Who collects funds, who confirms payment, how items are released, and how the reserve and charity proceeds are reconciled. |
A plan that protects the rest of your evening.
The auction is one part of a larger guest experience. Registration, cocktails, dinner, speeches, entertainment, and a fundraising appeal all need room in the schedule. Rather than expecting guests to browse whenever they can, identify the moments when they will actually be near the collection and have time to consider it.
For a dinner gala, that may mean introducing the collection during the reception and giving a clear closing reminder before the program changes. For a sporting event, it may mean concentrating attention around the gathering afterward. The right sequence depends on your venue and audience; it should never require competing announcements during an important mission moment.
What to bring to your first conversation.
You do not need a finished auction plan to contact us. A few useful details let us focus the discussion on the support your team needs most.
- Your event date or likely date range, city, venue, and approximate guest count.
- Your individual ticket price and what you know about your guests’ interests.
- A list of donated items, existing suppliers, and any auction platform already selected.
- The parts your team wants to manage and the parts where additional support would help.
- Any venue constraints, approval deadlines, live auction, or auctioneer arrangements.
Measure the experience as well as the sales.
After the event, review which lots drew bids, where guests needed help, and whether checkout was easy to navigate. Compare auction sales with the amount retained after item reserves and agreed costs. Those are different figures, and the distinction helps your committee make better decisions next year.
A useful debrief connects results to circumstances: a quiet table may have had little foot traffic, while an appealing travel lot may have carried dates that did not suit the room. Keep those observations alongside the financial report.
A clear plan starts with a conversation.
Tell us about your guests, your event, and the responsibilities you would like help with.
Discuss auction management